"I’m okay with being polarizing" - James Gunn on Peacemaker Season 2's latest twist about the alternate world and racism

The HBO Max series, Peacemaker, now streaming its second season, has taken viewers to Earth X, an alternate universe where Nazi Germany won World War II. This audacious narrative choice, revealed in episode 6, has sparked heated discussion, with some praising Gunn’s boldness and others, as he notes, labelling him “polarizing.” But for Gunn, the DC Universe’s co-chief, this is exactly the kind of risk Peacemaker thrives on.

After Peacemaker dropped its bombshell Nazi twist during Season 2, James Gunn, in a recent interview with GQ magazine, said -

“I have a few racists that have called me polarizing, but I’m okay with being polarizing and letting racists fall to the wayside,” Gunn added. “People have loved this episode the most, so it’s exciting. … Listen, we’re dealing with a very sensitive subject. We’re dealing with racism and, at the same time, there’s humour in this episode. And so, you’re dealing with something very delicate and yet we’re not being delicate about it — but I don’t think we’re not being delicate in a non-thoughtful way. We’re being thoughtful about it.”

Set after Gunn’s Superman, Peacemaker Season 2 follows John Cena’s morally complex antihero navigating a world of gritty action and sharp humour.

The twist with Earth X ruled by Nazis, on the other hand, takes the show into darker and more provocative territory. Gunn's decision to show an all-white alternate universe is not just a plot element but actually a deliberate step towards commentary about racism, all done in the show's typically irreverent style. 

James Gunn’s fearless vision: Peacemaker’s Earth X Nazi twist confronts racism

Gunn’s creative freedom is the heartbeat of Peacemaker. He said-

“I really do whatever I want with ‘Peacemaker’ — and I mean, in one respect, I do whatever I want with anything, because I am able to make my own choices and I’m my own boss. But with ‘Peacemaker,’ we really let it go. We take chances. We go to places where I think other people are afraid to go.”

This ethos drove the Nazi twist, despite pushback from within the industry. Gunn refused to soften the story, insisting on telling it unfiltered. The Earth X reveal, marked by subtle clues like its all-white population, caught most viewers off guard during private test screenings.

Gunn told Variety-

“No one noticed at all. That was people of color, too, by the way. It wasn’t just, you know, the whites.”

Online, however, some eagle-eyed fans spotted the clues. Screenshots comparing Earth X’s background actors to the diverse DCU cast sparked buzz, with viewers dissecting the implications. Gunn is all in on the debate, stating that while he "freaked out" some people with this episode, it's awesome. 

In Gunn's view, Peacemaker is all about pushing boundaries, and it doesn't bother him in the slightest if he loses upset fans to do so. He wants to tell stories that challenge viewers to spark discussion. 

This is why, as limited as the outcry and backlash were, it's fair to say that Gunn is walking a fine line. While he may leave some viewers behind by refusing to "pull punches," Gunn will build trust from loyal audiences hungry for stories that are authentic and groundbreaking. 

The appearance of Nicholas Hoult's version of Lex Luthor connects Peacemaker to the larger DCU. That even within a crazy ride of Peacemaker, there is a grounding in a universal framework. For Gunn, if doing things this way stirs up controversy, it's worth it if he stays true to his vision.

"People loved this episode the most,"

He told GQ, and that's the glory of storytelling when done to address challenging or complicated facts. 

Peacemaker Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max right now, with new episodes released weekly on Thursdays. 

Stay tuned for more such updates!